Apparatus for handling strip in a strip processing line



Oct. 27, 1964 w. LOWELL APPARATUS FOR HANDLING STRIP IN A STRIP PROCESSING LINE Filed June 2, 1961 //V l/E/V 70/? HERBERT W. LOWELL By Mix a Afforney United States Patent 3,154,340 APPARATUS FOR HANTBLING STRH IN A STRIP PRGCESSiNG LlNE Herbert W. Lowell, Crown Point, Ind, assigor to United States Steel Corporation, a corporation of New .lersey Filed June 2, 1961, Ser. No. 126,387 3 Claims. (Cl. 294-104) This invention relates to apparatus for handling strip in a strip processing line and more particularly to the connecting and threading of strip which breaks in the processing equipment. Equipment and methods of threading and connecting strip have previously been suggested and used. In some instances special equipment has been incorporated in the processing equipment such as in a cleaning tank. In general the equipment used has been expensive to install and maintain or the threading and fastening steps have been difficult and expensive to perform.

It is therefore an object of my invention to provide an economical and efi'icient device for connecting the broken ends of a strip.

Another object is to provide a device for moving strip longitudinally in a strip processing line which device is inexpensive and easy to use.

These and other objects will be more apparent after referring to the following specification and attached drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic vertical section through a conventional cleaning tank for cleaning steel strip;

FIGURE 2 is a view of the device of my invention showing one step in its connection to an end of a strip;

FIGURE 3 is a view, similar to FIGURE 2, but showing the apparatus in strip gripping position;

FIGURE 4 is a view taken on the line IVIV of FiG- URE 3; and

FIGURE 5 is a view taken on the line V-V of FIG- DRE 3.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, reference numeral 2 indicates a tank for containing a cleaning solution, this being one type of process to which my invention is applicable. The tank contains a plurality of rolls 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16 around which a strip S passes. The roll is preferably driven so as to pull the strip through the tank but it will be understood that other means beyond the tank may be used for this purpose. The strip passes to the tank 2 from an uncoiler 18 through driven pinch rolls 20. It will be understood that other standard equipment such as shears and a welder may be provided between the coiler and the tank as is usual in such equipment.

The apparatus of my invention includes a bar 22 of greater length than the width of the strip S. The bar 22 has a hole 24 at each end. Two U-shaped members 26 and 26R are pivotally connected to the ends of bar 22 by means of pins 28 passing through holes 24. The U- shaped members 26 and 26R, except for being right and left hand, are identical so that only one will be described in detail. The U-shaped member 26 has spaced legs 39 and 32, which are spaced apart a sufiicient distance to receive the bar 22, and a portion 34 extending outwardly beyond its connecting pin 28. A flexible member, such as a chain 36, is connected to the outer end of portion 34. The other ends of chains 36 are connected to an eye 38. A metal band 4t) has one end connected to the eye 38. The metal band 40 has a loop 42 at one end thereof with one leg 44 of the loop being cut across the full width thereof adjacent its outer end as shown at 46. A bar 48 is welded to leg 44 adjacent each edge thereof with the bar 43 extending away from the cut 45 toward the opposite end of the band 49. The bars 48 are of such thickness that they extend approximately to the other leg 50 of the loop when in normal position. The leg 5% 3,154,349 Patented Oct. 27, 1964 has a cut out portion 52 along each edge thereof of such size as to receive the associated bar 48 when the leg 44 is depressed inwardly toward leg 50. An eye 54 is provided on the metal band 40 at the end thereof opposite loop 42.

In operation, assuming that a break occurs in the strip in the cleaner tank between rolls 8 and 10 as shown in FIGURE 1, the forward portion of the broken strip is moved forwardly until its trailing end is adjacent the roll 12. The solution is drained from the tank 2 and the leading end of the trailing portion of the broken strip is jogged forwardly by means of pinch rolls 20 until it reaches the position at the bottom of the tank where the workman reaches through the ports, not shown, and bevels the end of the strip S as shown in FIGURE 2. The end of the strip S is then wrapped around the bar 22 with the U shaped members 26 and 26R being in their open position as shown in FIGURE 2 and with the chains 36 connected to eye 38. A band coupling 40 is then attached to the eye 38 by depressing leg 44 toward leg 50. The bars 48 confine the link 38 to the rounded end of the loop 42. The end of the strip S is firmly clamped between the bar 22 and legs 36 and 32 of the U-shaped members 26 and 26R by pulling on the band coupling 30 so as to rotate the U-shaped members 26 and 26R around their pivot pins 28 to the position shown in FIG- URE 3. The necessary number of connected band couplings 4d are then dropped down from the top of the tank to the right side of roll 10 as shown in FIGURE 1 with the workman at the top of the tank holding the top coupling. The couplings are then attached to the eye 54 of the coupling already at the bottom of the tank after which the strip is pulled upwardly around the roll 10 until its forward end is adjacent the roll 12. The trailing end of the leading portion of the broken portion is then welded to the leading end of the trailing portion of the broken strip and the line is ready to resume operation as soon as the tank 2 is filled.

While one embodiment of my invention has been shown and described, it will be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for moving a strip over spaced apart rolls comprising a bar having a length greater than the width of the strip around which the leading end of the strip is adapted to be Wrapped, two members, means pivotally connecting one of said members intermediate its length to one end of said bar, means pivotally connecting the other of said members intermediate its length to the other end of said bar, each of said members including a pair of parallel legs in planes normal to the axis of the pivotal connection one on each side of said bar and a section normal to and extending between the legs of each pair along the length thereof, the legs of each pair being located one on each side of said bar and being movable from a position remote from said bar to a position where the legs receive said bar, the legs of each pair extending in one direction from its pivoted connection and being spaced apart a distance such that they can receive said bar with a strip Wrapped therearound, each of said members having a portion extending from the pivoted connection in the opposite direction from said logs, the last named portion of each member being located on the side of its pivoted connection remote from the pivoted connection of the other member, a flexible member having one end connected to said last named portion of one of said members outwardly of its pivotally connecting means, a second flexible member having one end connected to said last named members outwardly of its pivotally connecting means, and means connecting the other ends of said flexible member.

2. Apparatus for moving a strip over spaced apart rolls comprising a bar having a length greater than the width of the strip around which the leading end of the strip is adapted to be wrapped, two members, means pivotally connecting one of said members intermediate its length to one end of said bar, means pivotally connecting the other of said members intermediate its length to the other end of said bar, each of said members including a pair of parallel legs in planes normal to the axis of the pivotal connection one-on each side of said bar and a section normal to and extending between the legs of each pair along the length thereof, the legs of each pair being located one on each side of said bar and being movable from a position remote from said bar to a position where the legs receive -said bar, the legs of each pair extending in one direction from its pivoted connection and being spaced apart a distance such that they can receive said bar with a strip wrapped therearound, each of said members having a portion extending from the pivoted connection in the opposite direction from said legs, the last named portion of each member being located on the side of its pivoted connection remote from the pivoted connection of the other member, a flexible member having one end connected to said last named portion of one of said members outwardly of its pivotally connecting means, a second flexible member having one end connected to said last named members outwardly of its pivotally connecting means, an eye connecting the other ends of said flexible members, and a metal band having a loop at one end for receiving said eye.

3. Apparatus for moving a strip over spaced apart rolls according to claim 2 including two legs on said loop, one leg of said loop being cut across the full width thereof adjacent its outer end, a bar fastened to said one leg adjacent each edge thereof and extending from said cut away from said one end, each of said last named bars normally extending approximately to the other leg of said loop, said second leg of said loop having a cut out porion along each edge of such size as to receive the associated bar on said one leg when said one leg is depressed inwardly, and an eye on the other end of said metal band.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 507,625 Lindsay Oct. 31, 1893 952,045 Moore Mar. 15, 1910 1,035,728 Peck Aug. 13, 1912 1,744,344 Sullivan Jan. 21, 1930 1,911,071 Duncan May 23, 1933 2,876,534 Savona Mar. 10, 1959 2,983,037 Hendrix May 9, 1961 

1. APPARATUS FOR MOVING A STRIP OVER SPACED APART ROLLS COMPRISING A BAR HAVING A LENGTH GREATER THAN THE WIDTH OF THE STRIP AROUND WHICH THE LEADING END OF THE STRIP IS ADAPTED TO BE WRAPPED, TWO MEMBERS, MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTING ONE OF SAID MEMBERS INTERMEDIATE ITS LENGTH TO ONE END OF SAID BAR, MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTING THE OTHER OF SAID MEMBERS INTERMEDIATE ITS LENGTH TO THE OTHER END OF SAID BAR, EACH OF SAID MEMBERS INCLUDING A PAIR OF PARALLEL LEGS IN PLANES NORMAL TO THE AXIS OF THE PIVOTAL CONNECTION ONE ON EACH SIDE OF SAID BAR AND A SECTION NORMAL TO AND EXTENDING BETWEEN THE LEGS OF EACH PAIR ALONG THE LENGTH THEREOF, THE LEGS OF EACH PAIR BEING LOCATED ONE ON EACH SIDE OF SAID BAR AND BEING MOVABLE FROM A POSITION REMOTE FROM SAID BAR TO A POSITION WHERE THE LEGS RECEIVE SAID BAR, THE LEGS OF EACH PAIR EXTENDING IN ONE DIRECTION FROM ITS PIVOTED CONNECTION AND BEING SPACED APART A DISTANCE SUCH THAT THEY CAN RECEIVE SAID BAR WITH A STRIP WRAPPED THEREAROUND, EACH OF SAID MEMBERS HAVING A PORTION EXTENDING FROM THE PIVOTED CONNECTION IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION FROM SAID LEGS, THE LAST NAMED PORTION OF EACH MEMBER BEING LOCATED ON THE SIDE OF ITS PIVOTED CONNECTION REMOTE FROM THE PIVOTED CONNECTION OF THE OTHER MEMBER, A FLEXIBLE MEMBER HAVING ONE END CONNECTED TO SAID LAST NAMED PORTION OF ONE OF SAID MEMBERS OUTWARDLY OF ITS PIVOTALLY CONNECTING MEANS, A SECOND FLEXIBLE MEMBER HAVING ONE END CONNECTED TO SAID LAST NAMED MEMBERS OUTWARDLY OF ITS PIVOTALLY CONNECTING MEANS, AND MEANS CONNECTING THE OTHER ENDS OF SAID FLEXIBLE MEMBER. 